For as long as most of us can remember, there have been complaints that voters at council elections decide which party to support on the basis of national issues rather than local ones. That, at least, is the narrative from those who have lost their seats or been deprived of power.
However, the same people will be happy to bathe in the reflected glory of popular national politicians if that helps them win. In fact there are many reasons why people vote as they do in local elections, and coming out with simplistic homilies doesn’t aid understanding.
Opponents of the ruling party or parties at Westminster invariably exploit events that depict them in a bad light. The cost-of-living crisis won’t be winning the Conservatives many votes at the moment, and it would be a surprise if other parties didn’t make the most of the partygate fines imposed on Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. But it would be wrong to conclude that local issues are completely overshadowed and that they can’t have a major impact on council election results.
